SOME THINGS MAY NOT FIT!

 

Monday, June 3, 2024

 

SOME THINGS MAY NOT FIT!

 

Mark 10:25-27

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?

27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

 

          In old Jerusalem, caravans arriving after dark would find the gates closed for security. In order for camels to enter through the “eye,” or smaller door in the larger gate, the camel had to unload his stuff and crawl through on his knees.

 

          Jesus did not say it was impossible for the rich to enter in. He said it was not easy for the rich to do so. The rich became rich by focusing on stuff; by reaching for it and working for it. It would be emotionally difficult for them to off-load the stuff which they had spent a lifetime accumulating. Moreover, they would have to come to Jesus on their knees! Our burdens, whether they be the stuff of riches or the baggage of the past, must be removed because some things may not fit through the narrow opening.

 

Matt 7:13-14

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

Dear Jesus, you said that “with God all things are possible.” Let those who are burdened crouch low that they may enter in. AMEN

 

IT’S THE BLOOD!

 

Sunday, June 2, 2024

 

IT’S THE BLOOD!

 

Ex 12:12-13

12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

 

Do you suppose there were any skeptics hiding behind the bloody doors that night in Egypt? Were there any that thought the entire concept to be hard to believe? I wonder if there were those who just did not feel safe or secure behind so thin a covering.

 

It’s not our understanding that is important!

 

Prov 3:5

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

 

Isa 55:9

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

It’s not the strength of our faith!

 

Matt 17:20

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

 

Can you imagine one cowering behind the bloody door doubting its ability to save? See him stack chairs and furniture against that same bloody door lest death should enter. Doubt and uncertainty held hands with weak faith throughout that night of terror but in the morning faith stood alone.

 

It’s not our righteousness but His faithfulness!

 

Titus 3:5-6

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

 

A wicked man in deed and thought huddles behind the bloody door wondering if his sins would so anger God that the blood would not be enough. He determines to do better if he should last the night. In the morning it is not his resolve that has saved him but the blood that covered him. 

 

It was the blood that saved them, not their righteousness. And a little child by that blood in Goshen was just as safe as Moses or Aaron or Joshua or Caleb. It was the blood that saved them. – D. L. Moody

 

Dear Lord, though I am unworthy, sometimes insincere, and often fearful, yet I huddle behind the blood of the Lamb. Thank you for the safety of the shed blood. AMEN

UNSPOTTED!

 

Saturday, June 1, 2024

 

UNSPOTTED!

 

James 1:27

27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

 

          Being a Christian in this current moral and political climate is challenging. It doesn’t seem to take much effort to rise above the general muck around us which means that we seldom rise to the heights we should. The “dumbing down” of religion has made casual Christians appear to be glow-in-the-dark saints. The only thing that seems to set us apart is our T-shirts.

 

          James boils it all down for us when he focuses on what is clean and unsoiled before God. Never mind what others think! What does God think about my particular brand of Christianity? The key elements seem to be a practical application of goodness. The word “visit” simply means “to go see and to relieve” widows in their affliction. This gets God’s attention.

 

          The second element requires herculean effort! We are to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. This is as challenging as a white bunny in a mud wrestling arena! By “the world” James means “society without God.” But how does an average believer keep himself clean?

 

          There must be a steady relationship to God’s Word. “Wherewithal (or how) shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” (Ps 119:9) In the front flyleaf of my Bible is scrawled these words: “This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book.”

 

          There must also be an intentional association with God’s people at church. The reason that racial and ethnic integration fails is that similar people prefer to be together. To put it another way, “Birds of a feather flock together.” That’s why larger cities have a “China Town” or a “Little Italy.” Christians have churches!

 

1 Cor 15:33

33 Be not deceived: evil communications (companions) corrupt good manners (morals).

 

          Without practical benevolence and personal moral purity, a professing believer has no well-founded evidence that he is a Christian.

 

Dear Lord, fill my heart with your compassion and let me act upon it. Help me to keep myself clean in an impure world. AMEN